1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rubber membrane, and more particularly, to a rubber membrane used in a computer keyboard.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Computer keyboards are an extremely common computer peripheral for inputting data. A prior art computer keyboard comprises a base stand; a membrane circuit board, with a plurality of pressure sensors, installed on the base stand; a plurality of rubber domes placed on the membrane circuit board and a plurality of key mechanisms installed above the rubber domes. Each of the rubber domes is positioned over one of the pressure sensors on the membrane circuit board to support the key mechanism above it. In the prior art, a jig is used to precisely position the rubber domes above the pressure sensors, and they are then glued onto the membrane circuit board. Easily and efficiently positioning the rubber domes above the pressure sensors is very important when assembling a computer keyboard.
Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of positioning a rubber dome 12 of a prior art computer keyboard 10. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a key mechanism 20 shown in FIG. 1 while depressed. The prior art method for installing the rubber domes 12 of the computer keyboard 10 involves applying glue to the bottom 14 of the rubber domes 12, using a jig to position the rubber domes 12 and then affixing the rubber domes 12 to the membrane circuit board 16. In this manner, the rubber domes 12 are accurately positioned above the pressure sensors 18, as shown in FIG. 1. However, the prior art method of installing the rubber domes 12 is to install them sequentially, one after another, and so is very inconvenient. In addition, there is no rubber membrane in the area where the right and left ends 21, 23 of key cap 19 of the key mechanism may touch the membrane circuit board 16. As shown in FIG. 2, when depressing the key cap 19 of the prior art computer keyboard 10, the right end 23 and the left end 21 of the key cap 19 will impact with the membrane circuit board 16, making noise.
It is therefore a primary objective of the present invention to provide a rubber membrane used in a computer keyboard to solve the above mentioned problems.
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a rubber membrane used in a computer keyboard. The computer keyboard has a base plate and a plurality of key mechanisms up-and-down movably connected to the base plate. The base plate has a base stand, and a membrane circuit board installed on the base stand. The membrane circuit board has a plurality of pressure sensors for generating key-pressing signals and each of the key mechanisms is positioned above one of the pressure sensors. The rubber membrane comprises
a connecting membrane; and
a plurality of upwardly protruding rubber domes that can be easily detached from the connecting membrane and each of the rubber domes being positioned above one of the pressure sensors of the membrane circuit board for upwardly supporting the key mechanism located thereon;
wherein when installing the rubber membrane, the rubber domes of the rubber membrane are placed above the pressure sensors of the membrane circuit board, and the bottom portions of the rubber domes are glued to the base plate. Then, the connecting membrane of the rubber membrane is torn away such that the plurality of the rubber domes are retained on the pressure sensors of the membrane circuit board.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the rubber membrane enables for easier and more efficient assembly of the computer keyboard, and it also reduces keyboard noise.